Bone plate systems for the internal fixation of bone fractures are well known. Conventional bone plate systems are particularly well-suited to promote the healing of a fracture. A bone screw (also known as a bone anchor) is inserted through a bone plate hole (also known as an anchor hole) and is threaded into bone to compress, neutralize, buttress, tension bend, and/or bridge the fracture ends together and draw the bone against the plate. These screws, which are not secured to the bone plate (and are hereinafter referred to as “non-locking screws”), can be threaded into bone at various angles relative to the bone plate. However, because the screws are not secured to the bone plate, the angular relationships between the plate and screws are not fixed and can change intraoperatively and/or postoperatively. That is, dynamic loading on the bone and bone plate from physiological conditions can cause the screws to loosen or back out with respect to the plate. This can lead to poor alignment and poor clinical results.
Securing the screws to the plate provides a fixed angular relationship between the screws and plate and reduces the incidence of loosening. One known embodiment of screws that can be secured to the bone plate has a screw thread on an outer surface of the screwhead. The thread on the screwhead mates with a corresponding thread on the inner surface of a bone plate hole to lock the screw to the plate. These screws (which are hereinafter referred to as “locking screws”) are typically inserted coaxially with the central axis of the hole. Because the relationship between locking screws and the plate is fixed, locking screws provide high resistance to shear, torsional, and bending forces. However, locking screws are limited in their ability to compress bone fragments, which affects healing.
In sum, therefore, an interface formed by a locking screw and bone plate has high resistance to shear forces so as to maintain stability at the screw/plate interface, but has limited ability to compress bone fragments, while an interface formed by a non-locking bone screw and bone plate effectively compresses bone fragments, but has low resistance to shear forces that can lead to screws loosening or backing out. Accordingly, a bone plate system that combines non-locking screws with locking screws is desirable in many clinical situations.
A known bone plate system that can accommodate both locking and non-locking screws includes a bone plate having a plurality of threaded plate holes for receiving locking screws and a plurality of non-threaded plate holes for receiving non-locking screws. However, the non-locking screws in this known system are only used temporarily to keep the plate in place while the locking screws are inserted. The non-locking screws are removed after the locking screws have been inserted. Thus, the long term benefits of combining non-locking screws with locking screws are not obtained.
Another known bone plate system that accommodates both types of screws includes a bone plate with partially threaded plate holes. The partially threaded holes receive either locking or non-locking screws. Because the plate holes are only partially threaded, however, locking screws may not be able to maintain the fixed angular relationship between the screws and plate while under physiological loads. Specifically, the locking screws within the plate are only partially surrounded by threads and thus only partially secured. Under high stress and loading conditions, the locking plate hole may distort and allow the fixed angular relationship between the locking screw and plate to change. This can result in a loss of fixation or plate orientation. Additionally, because of the plate hole geometry, translation of the plate with non-locking screws is limited to one direction only. This may be disadvantageous in bone fracture reduction and manipulation.
Still another known bone plate system that accommodates both types of screws includes a bone plate with threaded and non-threaded plate holes. The threaded plate holes receive locking screws, and the non-threaded plate holes receive non-locking screws, each intended to remain inserted while the plate is implanted. However, because locking screws are effective only when used with threaded holes, a disadvantage of this system is that the number and location of threaded holes in the plate may not be as desired for a particular surgical procedure. For example, there may be one or more non-threaded holes at locations where a surgeon would prefer a threaded hole for insertion of a locking screw.
Further to the known bone plate systems mentioned above it is often desirable for a surgeon to be able to insert a locking bone screw through a bone plate hole at a surgeon-selected angle relative to the bone plate. A number of so-called “polyaxial” bone plate systems are known. Many use a bushing located in a plate hole to lock the degree of screw angulation relative to the plate. In one such system, the bushing is rotatable within the plate hole. A so-called “variable-angle locking” screw is threaded into bone through the bushing and plate hole. As the screw is threaded into bone, the threaded tapered head of the screw engages a threaded internal surface of the bushing to expand the bushing against the inner surface or wall of the plate hole, thereby friction locking the screw at the desired angle relative to the bone plate.
In another known polyaxial bone plate system, a bushing is seated at a desired angle in a plate hole. A fastening screw having an expandable head with a threaded recess is inserted through the bushing and threaded into bone. A locking screw is then threaded into the recess of the screwhead to expand the head outward against the bushing to lock the selected angle of the screw relative to the bone plate.
In still another known polyaxial bone plate system, an expandable ring is positioned in the plate hole. As a bone screw with a tapered head engages the ring and is threaded into bone, the ring expands against the inner surface or wall of the hole to lock the selected angle of the screw relative to the bone plate.
However, these polyaxial bone plate systems have multiple components that can be cumbersome and tedious to manipulate during surgery and more particularly, for example, it is possible that the bushing or expandable ring may pop out during surgery.
In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to be able to provide an improved bone plate system that overcomes the deficiencies and disadvantages of known bone plate systems.